Clutch



A ril 22 1924. 1,491,342

w. L. ECKHARDT CLUTCH Filed Au 4, 1922 INVENTOR.

fmiW ATTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 22, 1924.

UNIT D STATES I 1,491,342 PATENT OFFICE.

I WALTER L, ECKHARDT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 'IO .KUSIC MASTER CORPORATION, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION 01 DELAWARE.

CLUTCH.

Application filed August 4, 1982. Serial No. 579,604.

To all whom z'tmay concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER L. EcKHARm,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadela phia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Clutches, of

which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in clutches and it has for its general object to provide a novel construction of means by wluch a knob, collar, sleeve, or the like hav-' ing an opening therethrou h may be secured to a shaft, rod, stud, or t e like which ex-. tends into or through such opening. By the said means such knob, collar, sleeve, or the like may be rigidly and relatively immovably secured to the said member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel construction of clutch of such character that a member which 1t is desired to secure to the end portion of a shaft, stud, or rod may be adjusted to any position desiredrelatively to said shaft, rod, stud, or the like and thereafter firmly and relatively immovably secured thereto without alteration of the position of the said shaft, rod, stud, or the like.

A still further object of my: invention is to rovide a clutch adapted for the purpose 30 in icated by the employment of which one member, such as a knob, may be secured to the end portion of a shaft or the likeafter the latter has been adjusted to the exact position desired without disturbing the same.

Other objects and advantages'of the invention will be pointed out in the detailed description thereof which follows or will be apparent from such description.

In order that the invention may be readily understood and its practical advantages fully appreciated reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which I have illustrated one mechanical form of embodiment thereof. However, it will be understood that changes in the details of construction may be made within the scope of the claimswithout departing from the said in vention. v

In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the outer end portion of a shaft and a dial knob or 'disk'supported thereon and of a clutch embodyin my invention for securing the knob to t e shaft;

' at upted for use in the adjustment of a varigri ping member 10 is adapted to enter the ig.-2 is a-view in front elevation of as dial knob secured to the shaftin the manner indicated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a bushing for the knob,

Fig. 4 is a view part1 in section and partly in side elevation of t e gripping memuer of the clutch; and Fig. 5 is alongitudinal'sectional view. of a screw having a hollow inner endportion for contacting with the gripping member sliownin Fig. 4 to cause the same to grip the adjacent portion of the shaft, rod, or stud, as the casemay be, which may be embraced thereby.

In'the construction as illustrated, I have shown my invention'employed forsecuring a dial having a scale thereon to the outer end of a shaft, upon the inner portion of which (not shown) the variometcrof a radio apparatus is secured. It will be understood, however, that my invention is not limited in its use for this particular ur ose and may be employed for securing no s or similar devices to the end portions or other parts of shafts, rods, studs, or the likewhich projects into or through openings therethrough.

Referrin to the drawings: 1 designates a dial kno having the scale 2 upon the u )per half thereof, as shown. This knob is onieter, as already indicated, but a knob of any other style or device of any other generally similar character may be substituted for the knob shown. The said knob is provided with an opening 3 through the center thereof within which is situated a metal bushing 4, the outer surface of which is roughened so as to insure that it will remain permanently in position within the openm 3. The outer portion of the opening throng the bushing4 is screw-threaded, as indicated at 5, whilethe inner portion of said opemns is tapered, as indicated at 6. A tapere us mu 4 and its outer tapered surface is ada ted to seat against the tapered'surface 6 of't e inner portion of the opemngyihrough said bushing. The gripping mem r 1Q 18 hollow; that is, is provided with an opening extending therethrough and the sides thereof are slotted as indicated at 11. These slots open upon t e inner end of the gripping member 10 and terminate a short vdistaruze from the outer end thereof, as is clearly 1ndicated-in Fig. 4 of the'drawing. The'grlpno ping member 10 is adapted to encircle or embrace the outer end portion of a shaft 12, as indicated 'in Fig. 1 of the drawing. After the parts 1, 4 and 10 have been assembled in the manner as indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawing a screw-threaded plug 15 having a hollow inner end, as indicated at 16, is screwed into the outer internal screw-threaded end portion of the bushing 4 so that its inner end contacts with the outer end of the tapered grip ing member 10 and pushes the same inward y. The pushing ot the said gripping member inwardly causes a contraction of the yielding portions or parts theieof between the slots 11 whereby such portions or parts are caused to grip with greater or less force, depending upon the force employed for turning the screw 15 inwardly,'the shaft 12. In the construction as shown the screw 15 is provided with a relatively wide head. It will be understood,

however, that my invention is not dependent upon a screw having a head of any particular character or design or even any head at all. It is, however, essential that the inner portion of the screw shall be hollow as described or that a hole shall 'be provided to extend entirely through the same so that the annular inner end portion thereof may contact and cooperate with the outer correspondingly shaped end of the gripping memher 10 which pushes or forces the latter inwardly to compress the yielding portions or parts thereof intermediate the slots 11 against the shaft, rod, or bolt, as the case may be.

It will be seen that I have provided a clutch or fastening device which, upon the loosening of the screw 15,will permit the adjustment of the dial knob 1 or other simi lar device to, any position desired with re- ,spect to the shaft. rod, bolt, or the like to which the said knob or other similar device may be secured without disturbing the said shaft, rod, etc.

I'Iaviug thus dcserihed my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Means for connecting a member having a hole extending thercthrough the inner end portion of which is tapered and the outer end portion of which is screw-threaded to a shaft,rod, stud, or the like having an end portion which projects into said hole, which means comprises a tapered member situated within. the tapered portion of said opening aml encircling the end portion of said shaft, rod. stud. or the likewhich projects into saidopening. which tapered member is provided with slots at intervals therein, and a screw-threaded plug in engagement with the screw-threaded portion of said opening, the inner end of which screw-threaded plug is adapted to engage the outer end portion of the said member in the tapered .end of the said opening, l

which tapered member is provided with yielding parts, and a screw-threaded plug, the inner end portion of which is hollow, which screw-threaded plug is adapted to engage the screw-threaded outer end portion of the said opening, the inner annular end portion of the saidplug being adapted to engage the outer end of the said tapered member to force the same inwardly to cause the yielding parts thereof to clamp the adjacent portion of the said shaft, rod, stud, or the like which is embraced within the said tapered member.

3. In combination, a knob having a central opening extending therethrough, the inner end portion of which is tapered and the outer end portion of which is screwthreaded, a shaft, rod, stud, or the like, one end portion of which projects into the tapered portion of said opening, a tapered clamping member situated within the tapered portion of said opening and embracing the said end portion of the said shaft, rod, stud, or the like, said tapered clamping member having slots situated at intervals therein which slots open upon the inner edge of the said member, and a screwthreaded plug having a hollow inner end portion, which lug is adapted to engage the screw-threats at the outer end portion of said 0 ening and the inner end of which is adaptct to engage the outer en d of the said tapered member whereby the lattermay be forced inwardly to cause the parts thereof intermediate the said slots to clamp against the portion of the shaft, rod, bolt, or the like embraced thereby.

4. Means for detachably and adjustably securing a knob, sleeve, collar, or the like having an opening therethrough the inner end of which is ta )ered and the outer end of which is screw-i needed to a shaft, rod, stud, or the like, which comprises an annular tapered member situated within the tapered portion of said opening and embracing a portion of the said shaft, rod, stud, or the like, which annular member comprises yielding parts, and a screw-threaded plug adapted to be screwed into the screw threaded portion of the said opening and the Inner end of which is adapted to engage the outer end of the said tapered member the outer edge of the said tapered memto force the latter inwardly and cause the her integral, the said tapered member yielding parts thereof to clamp against the embracing a portion of the said shaft, adjacent portions of the shaft, rod, stud, rod, stud, or the like within said opening, or the like embraced thereby. and a plug having screw-threaded engage- 5. A clutch for securing a knob, collar, ment with the outer screw-threaded end sleeve, or the like to a shaft, rod, stud,or portion of the said opening, the inner the like which comprises abushin secured end of which plug is adapted to contact Within an opening in the said kno collar with the outer end ofthe said tapered. menisleeve, or the like, the inner end portion o her to force the latter inwardly to cause the opening through said bushing being tathe portions thereof intermediate the said pered and the outer end portion thereof beslots to clamp against the portion of the ing screw-threaded, a tapered annular said shaft, rod, stud, or the like embraced clamping member situated within the tathereby.

15 pered portion of the opening through said In testimony that I claim the foregoing bushing which clamping member 1s proas my invention I have hereunto si ned my vided with slots at intervals therein which name this 2nd day of August, A. ll), 1922.

open upon the inner edge thereof leavlng v WALTER L. ECKHARDT. 

